UK Agricultural news
 | Tuesday 16th June 2009 A Natural Answer to Pesticide Contamination A new answer to the problem of pesticide polluted streams and soil has been discovered in a joint investigation by Spanish and Moroccan researchers. The team found that a number of natural organic waste products and the leaves of some plants are very effective at absorbing pesticides. These include peanut shells, avocado stones and bamboo, as well as the crushed leaves from radish, eucalyptus and oregano plants. Date stones proved the most promising with an absorption rate of 93%. Large areas of the world suffer from contamination from agricultural pesticides. These pesticides are designed and manufactured as poisons for agricultural nuisances but once water tables and soil are contaminated, devastating effects can been seen on animal populations in the area and these can spread through ingestion to other wildlife. The human risk is also great with conditions such as abdominal pain, vomiting, asthma and immune system suppression attributed to pesticide contamination. A co-author of the study Hicham El Bakouri said, "In many countries around the world, especially those with fewer resources, this type of water contamination represents a serious problem, and we need to find economical, environmentally-sustainable solutions, which are easy to put into use, such as the method we have proposed." This new research provides a welcome organic solution to rid the area of contamination and simultaneously improve the fertility of soil. |
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